New Delhi: The matter of retired workers seeking increased pension benefits through the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS-95) has resurfaced in public discourse. A pensioners’ association has now reached out to President Draupadi Murmu requesting her involvement in resolving this issue. The association contends that an order released by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is causing many retired workers’ requests for higher pension to be delayed or denied. The organization is calling for the removal of this order, the cessation of avoidable court cases regarding pension matters, and the cancellation of interest fees that accumulated due to administrative hold-ups.

Letter sent to President Draupadi Murmu

On October 23, 2026, the National Confederation of Pensioners’ Associations (NCPA) submitted a letter to President Draupadi Murmu seeking action on higher pension concerns under EPS-95. The organization states it speaks for roughly 1 million pensioners employed by public sector enterprises (PSUs) and private companies.

The NCPA has requested that the President direct the Ministry of Labor and Employment and the EPFO to take corrective measures. The organization aims to put an end to needless legal disputes surrounding unresolved higher pension applications and speed up the processing of claims for qualified retired workers. According to the pensioners’ organization, numerous elderly citizens are currently receiving modest pension amounts. As a result, engaging in extended legal proceedings to secure pension entitlements is proving to be both a financial and emotional burden for them.

Dispute regarding the circular from January 18, 2025

The NCPA’s primary concern centers on the EPFO’s directive released on January 18, 2025. Per the organization’s interpretation, this directive specifies that when assessing pension eligibility determined by higher compensation in exempt organizations, the pertinent guidelines of the applicable PF trust must be taken into account.

Exempted Establishments are institutions that, under certain conditions, have been granted permission to operate their own PF trusts outside the normal EPFO ​​system. The NCPA alleges that in some cases, employees’ applications for higher pensions are being blocked based on the salary ceiling set in the old trust rules. The organization says this could lead to differential treatment even for retired employees working in the same public sector company.

The organization has requested the President direct the withdrawal of this circular. However, this is a demand of the NCPA. This letter does not automatically result in any new government order withdrawing the circular or approving all pending applications.

“>October 27, 2026

Citing Supreme Court decisions

In its letter, the NCPA cited two important Supreme Court decisions regarding higher EPS pensions. These include the 2016 R.C. Gupta case and the 2022 EPFO ​​vs. Sunil Kumar B. case. The organization states that in the 2022 decision, the Supreme Court treated employees of exempted and non-exempted establishments as the same class for pension purposes. The NCPA alleges that the EPFO’s current process does not conform to the spirit of these decisions.